Annual Playtime Piano Recitals are fun and festive events!
... Everything about them is different from traditional
piano recitals. The students are not required to memorize
their pieces so as to minimize nervousness and pressure
(but they may if they wish). -We feel that if our students
are able to focus on the music, less of their attention
will be on the audience. Their instructors prepare brief
introductions telling the audience something interesting
about each student (their hobbies, best subjects at school
or an amusing anecdote from a lesson) and then stay near
the piano just in case the student needs a page turned
or becomes confused or nervous while playing their recital
piece.
We also encourage all of our students to perform an original
composition and even allow them to sing with their piece
if they like. (It's good for ear-training). In many cases
students will perform both an original and a traditional
(classical) piece or they may choose to play something
popular, adding rhythm or accompaniment from an electronic
keyboard. A few of our instructors teach other instruments
besides piano or keyboard and we have had percussion students
perform in our recitals as well.
We've provided miniature bubbles for the younger siblings
and students to blow while awaiting their turn to play
and encourage families to invite friends and relatives
and to bring cameras or videocams to record these events.
Award certificates are presented to each participating
student at the end of the recital and printed programs
are available for all of our guests. “It is also
our policy to allow Playtime students to wear whatever
they choose for their recitals. This saves parents
from having to buy special “recital outfits”
and encourages students’ freedom of expression.”
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